Olympic champions go head-to-head in Madrid
Alberto Ginés Lopez made history at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, becoming the first male athlete to win an Olympic title in sport climbing. The achievement raised his profile on the wall, and on the streets in Spain, but it also burdened him with the heavy weight of expectations heading into the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Now, almost a year on from his second Olympic Games (where he finished seventh), Lopez is climbing high, unburdened by the spectre of an Olympic title defence, as he chases an overall World Cup title.
The 22-year-old from Sant Cugat del Vallés enters the weekend in pole position atop the World Cup standings, thanks in part to an uninterrupted string of finals appearances this season, including a second place finish in Chamonix only a few days ago.
He’ll be eager to demonstrate his pedigree on the Lead wall in Madrid, especially in the presence of Paris 2024 Olympic champion Toby Roberts, who now wears the crown, and its associated weight, once held by the Spanish climber.
Where Lopez has excelled this season, Roberts has struggled – a reality he opened up about earlier this season in a post on social media.
However, a recent Boulder victory in Innsbruck has proven what he’s capable of at his best. Thus, he’s not to be underestimated on the wall in Madrid, especially as he attempts to beat Lopez in his own backyard.
Of course, with so many talented climbers on the entry list, victory may ultimately go to the likes of rising stars Yoshida Satone and Max Bertone, or the Olympic silver medallist and unstoppable force of nature known simply as Anraku Sorato, who won the last Lead competition in Chamonix.